Volume booster for water systems



Dec. 31, 1957 United States PatenrUfitice 2,817,848 VOLUME BOOSTER nou wnrnn SYSTEMS Carl Oscar 'Carl sonyfiakland, Calif assiguor of one-half to Arthur Johnson, Berkeley, Calif.

Application August29, 195$;Serial No. 531,11'36 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-26 My invention relates to water systems and more particularly to a volume .boosterfor such systemsz L This application is a continuationvimpart of my application for Flushing System- -Serial No. 333,503-filed January 29, 1953, now abandoned.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in homes and other places where direct pressure flush valves are not practical due to the small diameter water pipecustomarily employed, which while of ample sizefor other uses, wouldnotpass sufficient volume at a rate necessary to adequately flush a closet bowl.

Among the objects of my. invention are,

(1). To provide anovel andimproved volume :bo'oster for a water system;

(2) To provide a novel and'improved volume booster "for a water system, which is of simple construction and may beeconomically produced;

(3) To provide a novel andimproved volume booster for a water system, which functions efiiciently at all times;

(4) To provide a novel and improved volume'booster for a water system, which maybe altered to satisfy different demands, merely through the inter-changing of tanks of different capacities;

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferredenibodiment ofthe same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure 1 is adia'gram of a portionof' a Water system supplying a gangof toilets and incorporating in section, the volume b'oosterof the present invention;

Figure 2 is anenlarged view in section, of mean intake valve assembly of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is aview taken in the plane 3-3 ofFigui'e' 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention inits preferredform, the same'is shown incorporated in a-water' systeminvolving apipe 1 of small diameter through which it is desiredto supply the water forflushingagang of'toilets 3 coupled to a manifold S'through branch pipe connections 7, allof sufficiently large diameter 'to carry the volume of water necessary to flush the "toilets; Each-ofth'e branch pipe connections includes a flush valve 8 of a conventional type.

In the supply pipe, as is the custom, a check valve 9 isincluded, to prevent any possibility of reverse flow in this portion of the system, and thereby protect the'rest of the system from possible contamination.

The volume booster 10 is connected into the system between the supply pipe land the manifold pipe5, and involves :a closed storage tank 11 having a discharge cou- ..pling 13 of greater diameter than the supply pipe and sufiicient to pass the -required volume of water forflushinglall toilets simultaneously. The discharge coupling is connected to themanifoldywhich places thetank'in direct connection. therewith.

Within-the couplingis rnounted a 'jet IS with its input end'117' exposedforconneetionthereto, ofthesupply pipe 2,817,848 Patented Dec. 31, 1957 that; in the supply pipe.

' llaeljet terminates at its a free end19, -within-the dis Built into the tank is an air intake valve .means 24 includinga tube 25 mountedat one end, in a wall 26 of the tank, and terminating at its free end, substantially below such water level, as waspreviously indicated would be reachedinthe tank during quiescent conditions in'the system;-; To this free end of the tube isinounted avalve assembly aflixed to the end of the tube and involving a v alve housing 29, while within the housing adjacent the 'tube, a valve seat 31 is provided for co-operation with a floatvalve 33 disposed in-thehousing and adapted normally'to-engage' the valveaseat when submerged in water.

The opposite end ofthe valve housing is preferably partially open, butprovides aspring seat for alig'htspring 35 of the compression type adapted to engage thefloat valvetand assistthe same inthe directionofseating and lightly hold-the valve seated in-the absence of water, but adaptedto-permit-theretraction of thefioat valve when thepressure within the tank falls to .a point below atmospheric pressure.

The volume of the tank inrelationship to the number of'toilets-connectedin the'system; should be aszmuch as" to justabout-carry sufficient water to flushall such toilets simultaneously.

The operation of any flush valve will immediatelyinitiate a combined'flow of water from the supplyp'ipe and tank for flushing purposes. As the Water flows from the tank, the'air cushion-space -naturally becomes larger and the pressure of the air cushion gradually diminishes until it drops to a value just below atmospheric pressure, which in the absence of other factors, would preclude further discharge of water from the tank, and thereafter diminish the fiow to the closet bowl to that supplied by the-water pipe alone. Under such conditions, an abnormally large tank would be required tosatisfy thenec'essary flushing requirements for such system.

The presence of the jet, however, avoids the necessity for an abnormally large tank and permits of a tankof smaller volume, this by reason of the fact that aregion .of'reduced pressureis developed aboutthe jet,thus not only creating a greater differential pressure. on thecolur'nn oi-water in the tank, to thereby increase the flow rate, but also permitting an additional volume of waterto flow from the tank until a still lower sub-atmospheric pressure is reached within the air cushion space.

The degree towhich thelevel will drop through the use of a jet, will depend of course on the degree to which the pressureabout the jet is reduced. Ihave discovered that by departing from the conventional type of jet having a circular discharge opening, and restrictingthe same in one direction by squeezing, tobring about a resulting narrow elongating discharge opening 37, a considerably greater reduction in pressure around the jet can be realized than would be. possible underotherwise identical conditions, even to the extent inonelinstallation, of completely emptying the storage tank;

Any leakage or loss of air from the air cushion? in the storage tank will alter operating-conditions in the diretcion of reducing the amount of water capable .of being discharged from the tank. The air intake valve assembly has for its function, to cure such .a condition whenit develops, andaccordingly when thepressure in the "spaceabove the water drops" to the sub' atmospheric vane 'atwhich the valve is set to open, air will be pera mitted to enter the storage tank and replenish the air above the water level to restore conditions to normal.

More effective intake of air is permitted by the provision of side openings 39 in the valve housing at locations just below the valve seat.

In lieu of the submerged air valve assembly described above, an air intake valve might be installed directly in the Wall of the tank above the normal water level. The submersion of the valve assembly in the water, however, has for its purpose to prevent the drying or shrinking of any of the components, whereby to maintain the effectiveness of the valve and otherwise keep the valve components clean and free of dust or the like, and in this respect offers decided advantages.

From the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects thereof, and that to accommodate the invention to satisfy different requirements, all that is necessary is to interchange an existing tank for one of suflicient capacity.

The invention illustrated and described is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved, and I accordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to such details as I have illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insuflicient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank having a discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply pipe, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling with its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line and its discharge end restricted in one dimension only and terminating in substantially the plane of the discharge end of said coupling, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve means for said tank.

2. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insufiicient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank having a discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply pipe, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling With its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve means for said tank, said air intake valve means including a tube mounted at one end in a Wall of said tank and terminating at its free end, within said tank and below normal water level reached in said tank during quiescent conditions in said system when connected therein, a valve assembly mounted at the free end of said tube, said assembly being submerged in water during use and involving a valve housing affixed to said tube, a valve seat within said housing, a valve in said housing adapted to normally engage said valve seat, said valve housing having at least one air escape opening at a point below said valve seat.

3. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insuflicient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank having a discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply pipe, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling with its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve means for said tank, said air intake valve means including a tube mounted at one end in a wall of said tank and terminating at its free end, Within said tank and below normal water level reached in said tank during quiescent conditions in said system when connected therein, a valve assembly mounted at the free end of said tube, said assembly being submerged in water during use and involving a valve housing affixed to said tube, a valve seat within said housing adjacent the end of said tube, a float valve in said housing adapted to normally engage said valve seat when submerged in water, said valve housing having at least one air escape opening therethrough at a point below said valve seat, and spring means lightly holding said float valve in position in the absence of water.

4. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insufficient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank having a discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply pipe, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling with its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line and its discharge end terminating in substantially the plane of the discharge end of said coupling, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve. means for said tank, said air intake valve means including a tube mounted at one end in a wall of said tank and terminating at its free end, within said tank and below normal water level reached in said tank during quiescent conditions in said system when connected therein, a valve assembly mounted at the free end of said tube, said assembly being submerged in water during use and involving a valve housing affixed to said tube, a valve seat within said housing, and a valve in said housing adapted to normally engage said valve seat, said valve housing having at least one air escape opening at a point below said valve seat.

5. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insuflicient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank havinga discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply pipe, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling with its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line and its discharge end restricted in one dimension, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve means including a tube mounted at one end in a wall of said tank and terminating at its free end, Within said tank and below normal water level reached in said tank during quiescent conditions in said system when connected therein, and a valve assembly mounted at the free end of said tube, said assembly being submerged in water during use and involving a valve housing affixed to said tube, a valve seat within said housing, and a float valve in said housing adapted to normally engage said valve seat when submerged in water, said valve housing having at least one air escape opening at a point below said valve seat.

6. A volume booster for a water system involving a supply line of diameter insufficient to adequately supply, in a direct manner, the requirements of a fixture supplied by said system, said booster comprising a closed storage tank having a discharge coupling of greater diameter than such supply line, for placing said tank in flow connection with such fixture, a jet mounted in said coupling with its input end exposed for connection thereto of such supply line and its discharge end restricted in one dimension and terminating in substantially the plane of the discharge end of said coupling, said jet providing an inlet connection to said tank when said tank is thus connected in said water system, and air intake valve means for said tank, said air intake valve means including a tube mounted at one end in thetop wall of said tank and extending down into said tank to a point below normal water level reached in said tank during quiescent conditions in said system when connected therein, and a valve assembly mounted at the free end of said tube, said assembly being submerged in water during use and involving a valve housing affixed to said tube, a valve seat within said housing adjacent the end of said tube, a float valve in said housing adapted to normally engage said valve seat when submerged in water, said valve housing having at least one air escape opening at a point below said valve seat, and spring means lightly holding said float valve in seating position in the obsence of water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Beattie Apr. 30, 1895 Hobeck et al Aug. 21, 1923 White Dec. 11, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Feb. 7, 1889 

